EP42 - GRAFFITI ART PRODIGY - Grub

Grub is a young graffiti artist from Southend. At just 11 years old he’s taken part in Southend City Jam and painted around the country. He is mostly interested in classic graffiti styles, rather than street art. Sangita looks through Grub’s black book (graf sketch book) and can’t believe he can draw so well. Grub is from a creative family, and his Dad is an excellent artist who has taught him to draw. One of Grub’s teachers, Miss James, spotted his artistic talent when he was 8 and motivated him. Grub now has mentors for painting - Ekto, Ster, and Rask. He met them at Southend City Jam 2023 and showed them his sketchbook, Rask grabbed the organisers to show them the work, and he was invited to paint there in 2024. City Jam has massively brightened up Southend with the colourful murals and pieces throughout the city. Big up Scotty Brave for making Essex more colourful with his murals. Grub has painted Leake Street in London, which is an iconic location - he even got recognised from his documentary on YouTube. Ben Mills from Hellfire Film made the mini documentary, and it has made Grub a little bit famous. Essex has a rich history of graffiti - the 2-mile long Lakeside Seawall and Rochford Mill are classic spots. Grub loves the illegal side of graffiti and seeing where people manage to get art up, enjoying the placement and cheekiness. He loves placements that are like a crime that doesn’t really affect anyone - like The Lurkers in caves, and tunnels under London. Talking about King Robbo vs Banksy. If you’re painting a legal wall like Warrior Square in Southend, you’ll need to go over the top of someone else’s work. Painting is expensive, so it would be great for Grub to get sponsored - come on Montana! Choosing a name to tag. When you start out you are ‘toy’. Grub’s previous name was ‘Cob123’, but one day he painted Grub and loved the flow of the letters. Doodle-grid is the way that artists map out their works on big walls to get the proportions and layout correct. Grub has been painting over tube maps and selling them on Instagram. Painting on Rod Stewart’s trainset. If you want to start graffiti - just go for it, don’t be afraid of drawing letters. Grub practiced can control in his garden on some old plywood. Limiting screen time and the ensuing boredom can stoke creativity. Hard work, repetition and practice lead to improvement. Grub is unique at graffiti jam events for being so young. Grub is in a few crews - UPC and CBM.

Grub on Instagram

Grub documentary

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

Don't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.

Follow our Instagram for latest news and behind the scenes photos

Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram

Thanks to NGDA for their support

Recorded in Chelmsford, Essex, UK